News Brief

June 19, 2000

A leading U.S. Jewish group is launching a national petition to gather 1 million signatures to pressure Iran to release the 13 Iranian Jews being tried for spying for Israel. In addition to the petition, sponsored by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, at www.wiesenthal.com, is organizing an Internet petition calling on Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to intervene and release the Jews. A decision in the case is expected soon.